NIGHT STALKER Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Let's see . . . Tiki Barber officially debuts this week on NBC's Football Night in America (and/or Any Other Country that Will Fork Over Sufficient Cash, Gold, or Negotiable Instruments). He has a book coming out regarding his NFL experiences. The book is sure to contain some gratuitously controversial passages. So why not "leak" some of them this week to build buzz for both projects? Thus, it should be viewed as no coincidence that the New York Daily News has "obtained" excerpts of the book. (And we love how the word "obtained" implies that affirmative steps were taken by the Daily News to sleuth out the vital passages, other than merely opening the e-mail attachment or pulling sheets of paper off of the fax machine.) In the book, titled Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond (which is somewhat similar to the title we had expected -- Tiki: My Me My I Me I Me My), Barber continues his verbal assault on coach Tom Coughlin. Most surprisingly, Tiki seems to imply that he might have changed his mind about retiring if Coughlin had been fired after the 2006 season: "If Tom Coughlin had not remained as head coach of the Giants," Tiki writes, "I might still be in a Giants uniform." Barber also says that " robbed me of what had been one of the most important things I had in my life, which was the joy I felt playing football. I had lost that. He had taken it away." What a load of crap. When Barber opted to let the world know during the middle of a football season that he would be quitting the game, he said nothing about losing his passion for playing football. Instead, it was all about Tiki's grander plan, and his desire to get out of the game before he suffered long-term injuries from which he could not fully recover. "Sometimes you just feel a calling greater than the NFL," Barber told USA Today last year. "I'm crossing over to world events, entertainment, sports because that's what I'm interested in. That's what I see myself doing, delving deeper, being provocative." Barber also said in that same interview that his retirement was "a quality of life decision." "Earl Campbell is 51 and can't walk," Barber explained. "Twenty years from now, I don't want to be that way." Indeed, when Barber acknowledged his retirement for the first time, he made it clear that his plan had been in the works since long before Tom Coughlin became the head coach of the team. "I've been talking about retirement for years now, and it has nothing to do with being physical or money or Hall of Fame," Barber said. "It's all about my desires, and for me to change them would compromise my integrity and would compromise who I am as a person and what I've always stood for." (Tiki, you can't compromise your integrity if you have none.) We've never been big fans of Coughlin, to whom we refer from time to time as the Soup ****. But it's unfair for Barber to change his reasons for retiring now, all in the name of justifying his intense dislike for the man. It's also wrong, in our view, for Tiki to bite the hand that taught him how to keep his hands on the football. In the four years before Coughlin arrived, Tiki averaged nearly nine fumbles per season. In three entire seasons under Coughlin, Tiki had a grand total of nine fumbles. Barber also churned up more than 2,000 yards rushing and receiving in each of those three seasons, the only three seasons of his career in which he reached such levels. If Barber were as smart as he thinks he is, maybe he would recognize the connection between Coughlin's methods and the results. But since Coughlin apparently didn't see fit to affix his lips to Toki's tookis, Barber has opted to be selective -- and disingenuous (thanks, Tiki) -- in his memories of the man who made him into a far better player than he ever had been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sperm Edwards Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 what a dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boozer76 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Tiki and Strahan have been the constant source of troubles for the Giants since even before the Coughlin days. If not for Coughlin, Tiki might have been cut and a journeyman. Tiki has always been about himself off the field. Always, regardless of the effect on his teammates. Tiki is just a narcisistic person who likes to hear himself talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Dumb $hit must have forgotten who tought his stupid a$$ how to NOT fumble on every other carry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Tiki was always a bitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM31 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Wow... In my opinion itwould take a herculean effort to turn Tom Coughlin into a sympathetic figure here in NY but Tiki may be managing to pull off that very thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sperm Edwards Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Wow... In my opinion itwould take a herculean effort to turn Tom Coughlin into a sympathetic figure here in NY but Tiki may be managing to pull off that very thing. lol. How true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 He can thank Coughlin for curing him of his fumblitis to save his career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drago Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 what a dick Tiki and Strahan have been the constant source of troubles for the Giants since even before the Coughlin days. If not for Coughlin, Tiki might have been cut and a journeyman. Tiki has always been about himself off the field. Always, regardless of the effect on his teammates. Tiki is just a narcisistic person who likes to hear himself talk. Dumb $hit must have forgotten who tought his stupid a$$ how to NOT fumble on every other carry. Tiki was always a bitch. I'm a little lost on this Tiki-talk. I don't hear all the new york press since i'm out in the boonies, and the only New York news i choose to hear involves green and white. somebody enlighten me as to why tiki is such a b!tch? It's an honest question, i'm not being a smart ass. All i ever saw of the guy were fumbles then coughlin, no fumbles and good seasons behind bad O-lines. I thought he was a good to great RB for a few years there, and didn't realize so many people had this distain for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sperm Edwards Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I'm a little lost on this Tiki-talk. I don't hear all the new york press since i'm out in the boonies, and the only New York news i choose to hear involves green and white. somebody enlighten me as to why tiki is such a b!tch? It's an honest question, i'm not being a smart ass. All i ever saw of the guy were fumbles then coughlin, no fumbles and good seasons behind bad O-lines. I thought he was a good to great RB for a few years there, and didn't realize so many people had this distain for him. His past couple of O-lines weren't bad. Certainly not at run-blocking. Basically he's an attention whore. The city loved him. The fans loved him. Everyone seemed to...except Strahan when Tiki said Strahan has to get into camp through the press...then 2 weeks later Strahan gets a $32M extension, no thanks to Tiki. He really started to get a bad rap (for off-field stuff) last year when he announced his upcoming retirement in mid-season. The team didn't need that distraction. Then about a month ago he took a shot at Eli. Not that Eli is anything close to perfect, but it's just not done; they were teammates last year & it's not like Tiki plays for a different NFL team now. He's a dickhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garb Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Where does Tiki live now? Fla, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn306 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I'm a little lost on this Tiki-talk. I don't hear all the new york press since i'm out in the boonies, and the only New York news i choose to hear involves green and white. somebody enlighten me as to why tiki is such a b!tch? It's an honest question, i'm not being a smart ass. All i ever saw of the guy were fumbles then coughlin, no fumbles and good seasons behind bad O-lines. I thought he was a good to great RB for a few years there, and didn't realize so many people had this distain for him. It is the "me, look at me attitude" that turns people off. Announing his retirement during the season and basically having a "Farwell Tiki tour" last year. The guy started off as a kickoff/punt returner, who could never hold onto the football. Coughlin comes in, shows him a few things and the fumbling stops and Tiki goes on to have a great career. Tiki basically does not know when to shut his mouth. He rips his QB, he rips the coach, he rips Giants ownership. The core of that Giants team since Fassel left has been rotten. Shockey, Burress, Tiki, Strahan (Who coincidentally decides he wants to play once TC ends). It is all about them. They act like they won 3 Super Bowls and because the play for the Giants that we should all worship the ground they walk on. They are living off the legend of guys like LT, Carson, Simms, and Parcells. As much as I hated those guys you had respect for them and loved beating them like the Jets did in 88. F'em. They suck and I don't care. Announing his retirement during the season and basically having a "Farwell Tiki tour" last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boozer76 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I'm a little lost on this Tiki-talk. I don't hear all the new york press since i'm out in the boonies, and the only New York news i choose to hear involves green and white. somebody enlighten me as to why tiki is such a b!tch? It's an honest question, i'm not being a smart ass. All i ever saw of the guy were fumbles then coughlin, no fumbles and good seasons behind bad O-lines. I thought he was a good to great RB for a few years there, and didn't realize so many people had this distain for him. Tiki has always had a penchant for speaking to the press candidly, most of the time about things that have nothing to do with him that he shouldn't be speaking of. The only NY figure I know that was comparable to Herm about talking to the press was Tiki. Only difference was Tiki's talk always had barbs in it talking about other teammates or coaches. The guy just loves to hear himself speak. Prior to his retiring, if you told me to name one player in the NFL that would abruptly announce he was retiring at the end of the year while his team was in the midst of a playoff hunt, I would have immediately guessed Tiki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drago Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Thanks for the posts, i didn't know most of that stuff. When he announced his retirment i dind' think much of it. As i think about it, that would be how a 'me first' player would do things. The team is suffering, not getting press, and the star the of the teams makes some press of his own. I have to say, i always wished Ronde would have played in jet/packer green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nj meadowlands Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3003699 Report: Tiki writes in book that he might still be playing if not for Coughlin Tiki Barber has already used the television airwaves to rip his former team and now the retired Giants running back reportedly is criticizing them in print. [Tom Coughlin] robbed me of what had been one of the most important things I had in my life, which was the joy I felt playing football. Tiki Barber In excerpts of his new book "Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond" obtained by the New York Daily News, Barber writes that he might still be playing if Tom Coughlin weren't still coaching the Giants. The book goes on sale Sept. 18. "If Tom Coughlin had not remained as head coach of the Giants, I might still be in a Giants uniform," Barber writes, according to the Daily News. "[Coughlin] robbed me of what had been one of the most important things I had in my life, which was the joy I felt playing football," Barber wrote, according to the newspaper. "I had lost that. He had taken it away." Barber credits Coughlin with solving his chronic fumbling problems but wrote that he believes it was his performance that kept Coughlin employed by the Giants. Under Coughlin, Barber ranked among the NFL's top five rushers; in the three seasons beginning in 2004, Barber gained 1,518 (fifth), 1,860 (second) and 1,662 yards (fourth). "It's a double-edged sword, because as much as Coach Coughlin helped me, I also helped Tom Coughlin," Barber wrote, according to the newspaper. According to the Daily News, Barber also claims in the book that he was shorted about $10 million in his career by the Giants, who underpaid him compared with other top running backs. Last month, Barber criticized Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Barber had said that Manning's attempt to lead an offensive meeting in the 12th week of the last season was "comical" at times. After sarcastically noting that Barber was making a smooth transition from the playing field to television, the normally reserved Manning said he could have questioned Barber's leadership last season for calling out Coughlin and then having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season. It turned out to be a major distraction for the Giants. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. What a ****in DOUCHE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 It's funny, because if Tom Coughlin had never come in and taught Tiki how to hold onto the damn football, no one would give a **** enough about him to even publish a book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.